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BRUCE GARRIOCH, QMI Agency

Apr 9, 2011

, Last Updated: 9:05 PM ET

BOSTON - Three hours after a 3-1 loss to the Bruins, Cory Clouston's sometimes turbulent ride as the Senators coach was over.

Clouston and assistant coaches Greg Carvel and Brad Lauer were given their walking papers by GM Bryan Murray in a meeting at the Esso Avitat at the MacDonald Cartier Airport, just moments after the club landed in Ottawa.

Assistants Rick Wamsley and Luke Richardson were told they were being retained.

"It's just based on performance over the course of the year. We felt that a change was necessary," said Murray, who agreed to a three-year deal to remain as GM on Friday.

"It's always difficult. Coaches get the finger pointed at them more than they should.

"In this case, we felt, all of us, management and the coaching staff, at training camp we had a competitive hockey team and for whatever reason we didn't play to the level we sought and expected. As a result,we decided changes had to be made."

Clouston addressed the players following the game. He said if he was ousted as coach, he would leave with his head held high.

He said in a scrum he was hopeful he'd find out his fate soon. It didn't take long for that happen.

"I talked to the guys after the game and I told them I'm very proud of how they played those last 27 games," said Clouston before learning he was gone.

'Showed character'

"They showed a lot of character. I think they moved the team and the organization in the right direction."

Murray said he'd been thinking about making a change a while.

"We certainly evaluated what was going on prior to the trade deadline," he said. "We thought we had to do things to recover from the way the early part of the year had gone."

Goaltender Tim Thomas made 31 saves to give the Bruins the victory.

Clouston said the way Thomas, who finished the year with a league-record .938 save percentage, performed against the Senators was a shining example of why it takes goaltending to win in the league.

"All you have to do is look across the ice and see what Thomas does when they make mistakes," Clouston said. "To have that type of presence in the goal for you. We see what it's like to have (Craig) Anderson playing for us. You just become a completely different team."

Murray said his search for a new coach won't begin immediately.

"We'll step back for a few days and few weeks to see who becomes available," said Murray. "At some point, probably in late April, we'll start talking to people."

The Senators weren't sure what to think.

"It hasn't really sunk in yet," said winger Chris Neil. "So I don't really have a comment on it. I'm sure everybody will be around to speak about it Monday."

Nobody was shocked.

"We didn't give up. We battled right to the end. We showed a lot of what we're capable of doing going into next season," said Phillips. "You've gotta believe that (there's brighter days ahead).

"We did it with young guys that are stepping in, not free agents that are leaving. These guys are the future of this organization and there's no reason to think we can't pick up where we left off (next year)."